Happy Thanksgiving from the Embry-Riddle Career Services Office!
All posts for the month November, 2013
Thanks for Giving
During the season of thanksgiving, it is important to remember to thank your career and professional connections for their advice, assistance, encouragement and support. Sharing a seasonal message, a helpful article, a catch-up message or a simple “thank you” with those in your network is a powerful way to let them know that you appreciate everything they do for you throughout the year.
Posted by eraucso on November 25, 2013
https://eraucso.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/thanks-for-giving/
Focus on Veterans
By Brian Carhide
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the first annual Veterans Institute, Heroes Work Here event at Walt Disney World in Orlando. The Walt Disney Company began an initiative in 2012 and set a goal to hire 1,000 Veterans over 3 years; like everything else Disney does, they went above and beyond by hiring 2,500 Veterans thus far. Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, and First Lady, Michelle Obama, spoke at the event, both recognizing the great potential of these men and women who served our country, and shared insightful information on how to capture this talent.
The First Lady and Vice President Joe Biden launched an initiative called Joining Forces a few years ago, bringing together a team of subject matter experts, to assist Veterans in making a seamless transition from the end of their service to the private sector; an inter-agency task force program, which is now mandatory for all individuals separating from military service. The program is designed to bridge the gap to the civilian workforce and make our heroes career ready!
A key topic that has been a challenge, not only for Veterans, but for career advisors is how we articulate the military attributes into a business application. Much of the conference was focused on successfully identifying those attributes and how they can be applied. Below is a reference that can be used to help Veterans look at their military attributes and how they could be of value to a potential employer:
Veteran Attribute Business Implication
Entrepreneurial………………………………………………………..Adept to taking ownership
Assume a high level of trust……………………………………….Trust in co-workers and leaders
Skill transfer…………………………………………………………….Rapidly apply skills from the military
Advanced technical training………………………………………Adept at the latest technology
Act decisively in the face of uncertainty & change………. Skilled at making decisions with imperfect info.
Resilient………………………………………………………………….Bounce back quickly from adversity
Advanced team building skills……………………………………Rapidly integrate into project teams
Strong Organizational commitment……………………………Loyal to leaders and organizations
Cross cultural experience…………………………………………..Cultural literacy to include languages
Comfortable in diverse work settings………………………….Seeks diverse work groups
(provided by Syracuse University – Institute for Veterans and Military Families, http://vets.syr.edu/)
The conference also presented a panel of Veterans who currently worked at The Walt Disney Company and provided them an opportunity to share their stories and challenges. One of the panelists spoke about one of her challenges, something I took for granted, but completely understood the Veteran’s perspective. The Veteran told the story of her first networking event and how the dress for the event was business attire; however, the panelist was unsure what business attire included. We think of those in the military, always looking their finest and dressed to impress, but in reality their best dress is the same attire every day. Another challenge mentioned was a Veteran’s knowledge and ability to maximize the use of social media in the job search. The military places limitations on service individuals and the ability to use social media, many times for the sake of national security, which does not allow them to develop social media profiles.
The conference was nothing less than spectacular, from high level individuals speaking to the great stories of those individuals who fought for the very freedom that is provided to us every day! These are talented individuals, and there is no doubt they deserve our service in providing them the tools and resources to be successful after their separation from service. Beyond the resources the Career Services Office provides to our Veteran population at Embry-Riddle, I leave you with this, a robust list of other resources, to help our Veterans successfully bridge that gap.
www.hiring500000heroes.com
www.servicelocator.org/onestopcenters.asp
http://dvoplverlocator.nvti.ucdenver.edu
www.careeronestop.org/businesscenter
www.va.gov/homeless/for_homeless_veterans.asp
www.usaa.com
www.dav.org
www.awfdn.org
www.vetsuccess.gov
www.disneyinstitute.com
Brian Carhide has more than 20 years of professional aviation experience. He spent many years as a professional pilot, including experience as a charter and airline pilot. He has been a leader in guiding young aviators in higher education at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and is the Executive Director of Career Services.
Posted by eraucso on November 21, 2013
https://eraucso.wordpress.com/2013/11/21/focus-on-veterans/
Learning How to Perfect Your Soft Skills
What are soft skills? Why do they matter to an employer? Unlike technical skills, which are specific to an occupation, soft skills are also known as interpersonal or people skills. This skill set encompasses communication style, conflict resolution, team building, strategic thinking and more. Technical skills are needed in most positions, but soft skills help contribute to a person’s ability to perform a job well and fit in with a company’s culture. Employers want to hire well-rounded individuals who have both the technical expertise and the ability to work and communicate effectively with co-workers.
Many candidates obtain Bachelor of Science degrees and maintain high GPAs, but what sets one candidate apart from another? Sometimes it comes down to their soft skills.
The top soft skills that employers look for in candidates vary based on the position. However, many employers emphasize communication, positive attitude, professionalism, team work and flexibility.
How does one improve their interpersonal skills?
- Practice
- Be self-aware: ensure you are using eye contact and that your words flow well together
- Ability to discuss skills/abilities in an interview setting
- Brush up on writing ability
- Join clubs/organizations where collaboration/team work is needed
To perfect your soft skills, work to enhance your abilities and develop skills you may lack. Feedback from trusted peers, supervisors and mentors is a great way to identify areas in which you may need improvement. Once you know what to work on, practice these skills, utilize resources, including Career Services resources available to you, and implement soft skills in your job search and professional career.
Valerie Kielmovitch has been working as a Program Manager in the Career Services Office at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University since 2010. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Central Florida and Master of Education specializing in Higher Education and Student Affairs at the University of South Carolina. Valerie has a diverse background in the field of higher education from residence life to career services.
Posted by eraucso on November 14, 2013
https://eraucso.wordpress.com/2013/11/14/learning-how-to-perfect-your-soft-skills/
Veterans Day Thank You
Posted by eraucso on November 11, 2013
https://eraucso.wordpress.com/2013/11/11/veterans-day-message/
Job Search Scams
by Kristy Amburgey
“You are guaranteed a job with no effort on your part!”
“Make money while sitting at home!”
“You will be making over $100,000 per week in a matter of no time. All you have to do is invest in some upfront training.”
Sounds intriguing, right? It might be tempting to click on the link or give them a call if you are looking for a job, especially one that makes you tons of money. But you should hold that thought for just a minute.
Unfortunately, there are people out there who will take advantage of your desire to find lucrative employment opportunities. It is important to be aware of job search scams and other ways that people will try to steal your identity, take your money or otherwise involve you in something that will negatively impact your daily life.
Here are several ways to help protect yourself as you conduct your job search.
- Always research the company before making any commitments or accepting opportunities; use the Better Business Bureau, Federal Trade Commission and online research to source out information about them
- Review the contact information provided; if the email address does not seem valid, the phone number goes to nowhere or the address is to a P.O. Box, be wary
- If you find a position on an aggregate site, always go the company’s site to see if the opening is actually available
- Do not use your social security number on resumes, cover letters or other job search documents; the exceptions are government-based resumes and actual applications with specific companies that you have vetted
- Do not pay for the opportunity to work
- Avoid giving out any financial or credit card information to anyone; companies do valid credit and backgrounds checks, but they will typically only do so once you have been extended an offer, have accepted a position or have signed an authorization document
- Job descriptions that are vague or unclear may be a warning that the job is questionable
Job search scams vary, and new ones pop up all the time. In general, you want to avoid these types of situations.
- Financial scams: these scary situations can include expecting you to pay to apply for a job, to send money to a person or group, to transfer money on behalf of a person, to pay for placement in a position and more
- Promises scams: these companies promise or guarantee you a job or extreme money-making opportunities; these types of scams can be hard to differentiate from legitimate jobs, so you may have to trust your instincts about unrealistic promises
- Work at home scams: these scenarios are when you are offered “at home” work, but they turn out to be things like multi-level marketing schemes or pay-for-products/software/fees scams; it is important to know that a number of companies offer legitimate opportunities for telecommuting
- Buying scams: in this situation, a company expects you to purchase something from them to get additional help (trainings, etc.)
- Help you scams: some companies may offer to share your resume or represent you to other companies; legitimate headhunters may contact you for employment opportunities, but be wary of people who don’t have actual opportunities or ask you to sign an exclusive with them
- Selling your name scams: some companies have you apply for positions, where no position actually exists, and then sell your name and information to third parties (like telemarketers)
Please know that there are many unethical, uncomfortable or unusual situations out there that you may face when job searching. For example, you may be placed in a situation, without warning, to sell something as part of an interview, or you may have employers request atypical job application documents. For some companies, these are valid and necessary requests as part of their application or interview process. You will have to research and rely on your instincts to determine if opportunities and companies are valid options for your situation so that you are not scammed out of your own personal well-being.
Resources and References:
- About.com Job Scams
- About.com Reports Scams from Readers
- eHow
- Job-Hunt.org
- Job-Hunting/Job Scams from the FTC
- Riley Guide
Kristy Amburgey is the Associate Director of Career Services – Daytona Beach campus and currently manages marketing and employer relations for the department. She has been with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for approximately 10 years and with Career Services for nine years.
Posted by eraucso on November 7, 2013
https://eraucso.wordpress.com/2013/11/07/job-search-scams/